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mon law they are the Guardians of the moral character and public decency of their respective parishes; and, under a variety of old statutes, they are authorized to levy penalties for various frauds and misdemeanours. Under the Highway Act (13. G. III. c. 78), they join in appointing the Surveyor of roads, whose accounts they sign before they can be allowed by the Justices at Petty Sessions. By 1 G. IV. c. 94, s. 9.) they preserve the population accounts; and, by 6 G. IV. c. .50, make out the Jury lists and affix them to the Church doors. All these duties would, in populous parishes, naturally devolve upon the Parishwarden to whom, as Guardian of public morality and decency, might very properly be assigned the additional duty of Sanatory Inspector in his parish. This office is one of the requirements of the age, and, clothed with a sufficient authority, would be found of invaluable assistance to the Union Board of Health. In small country parishes, containing a few farmers, the Overseers might take all the civil duties now belonging to the Churchwardens. The Churchwardens would, according to the foregoing scheme, be mere Church Officers elected by Churchmen; and it would, therefore, be an injustice to Dissenters to continue them as civil officers, since all such offices ought to be open to persons of all denominations.
7. One of the most difficult questions is that of parochial burial-grounds. I propose that in populous parishes, containing Dissenters, the Parish